Method and apparatus for the carrying out of gas reactions by means of an electric arc.



G. WAGENER. v METHOD AND APPARATUS PCR THE CARRYING CUT CI CAS REACTIONS BY MEANS of AN ELECTRIC ARG.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. z2, 1911.

11,039,851. Paname@ ont. 1,1m.

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ramener GUST'V WAGENER, lOIF SCHLEBUSCH-MANFRT, GERMY, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS POW'DER COMPANY, GF WLMTNGTO, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

nennen ann arranarus non man canarino our or eas nnacrrons BY Means or an nnncrnlo anc.

rarement ont, l, asia..

.application alga 'insense 2e, 1911.v 'sensi no. 661,761. 1

inseam.

Tanti whom/it i `7 "Be it known that l, Querer-Wannsee, a subg'ect of the Emperor of Germany, resida ing at Schlebusch-ll'lanfort, Germany, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods and Apparatus for the Carrying Gas Reactions by Means of an Electric Arc, of which the following is a full,"

clear, and exact description, reference being had .to the accornpanyil drawings, which form a part of thiespecication.

tA has heretofore beentr'ied to carry out gas reactions in the electric arc in such mannor that the gases to be treated are continuously introduced under pressure to the steadily burning are in a clesedreceptacle and thatlthe reaction mixture produced is continuously passed into 'a second receptacle in which the gases are permitted to expand. The pressure of the previously compressed gases is still further increased by means of the' heating in the `electric are, thus also increasing the speed of the current of the gases. This method, however, is disadvantageous because, owing to the high speed of the current of the reaction gases continuously introduced in the are and' around the same, strong whirls are formed to such an' l l tained 1n the reaction receptacle 1s obtained,

and the gases, suddenlytearing the elongated arc, expand with great violence in an explosive-like manner and immediately cool very effectively. By means of this method and for the reason stated., a considerably higher yield is obtained than heretofore. v

The new method is especially suitable tor the production ot' tot of oxid or" nitrogen from compressed i12 Experiments g Y above-demonstrated that it is advisable, and,

to get the-best results, necessary that the arc,

jformed in the air tight closed reaction re- ;ceptacle, loeV stretched to its full length as quickly as possible, so as to. insure that the entire volume of heat available shall act as quickly as possible. ln slowly stretching the arc, a perceptible increase in pressure would not takev place, since, as experiments have shown, the increase in pressure is always' counteracted by a decrease in pressure in such manner that the heat which is added each time is mostly used to overcome this decrease in pressure. It has been also ascertained, especially after the maximum pressure has been reached, even when the arc over its entire length burns'steadily, that a sudden stepwise decrease of the pressure talres place. must be taken that, when the maximum pressure is reached, the expansion be brought about immediately.

The attached ydrawing shows a preferred form of apparatus embodying my invention and .suitable for carrying out my new method. The same iulils all requirements referred to above'to the greatest extent and works entirely automatically.

The reaction receptacle in this instance is a quartz tube a of heavy walls, which is capable of withstanding high pressure and high temperatures and which does not have to be cooled. This tube a is at top and bottom sealed airtight by means of two metal platesb and c, these plates being tightly pressed against the ground cross section surfaces of the tube by means of the insulated For this reason precautionsv rods In the lower plate c the rigid elec'- trode a is placed, While the other electrode j is arranged in such manner in the plate .7) that the same can slide up and down, while the joint is airtight. The upper electrode f is fastened to the lower end of a rod g,

whichslides up and down inthe guide tube z. screwed into the upper plate Z). The sealing of the electrode fin the upper late ZJ is eii'ected by means of a stufling box i.

Insulated from the guide rod g, and con nected to the upper end of the latter, is tlie piston rod la, the piston Z of which moves air tight in the cylinder m. In the position of tie up; 'itus as shown 1n the drawing, cifra if.: together with the rods g and with the upper MM of *L if l the renetiou 1' fici sudden ue ting' se infie,

. net otter an farti movin l it readies n fion. thue giving: tu Y. me mixture te its high rst pressure. Soon s the pieton Z passes tn i the circulating elmnnu u.' with Wici v vlinder yntf-is prevideti, the air ce in the upper mrt of the cviiner pa Ineens et tine vireuizxtingl c'xnnne. nuel' part :if the t 1 the pieton I te z wird, prees-ing the tween the Contact strips y.

':urreut is rf C: through the he" im@ Quit irun cere 3 thus zunxfietey fut@ the Cock et in outet pipe T n. voiructhadjusting n@ #nek #t will tw :ne that the in ie present in the rene reaction mixture,

penne when the cock it is opened, in :in

explosive ntie manner, with great Violence',

n Ai tiene inte the centainer 5, which iS suiteblv ceded with water, into which com @it et' the eposvelike expansion which suceeet'e Une high pressure, a, sudden drop in tenu ernture ef the reeetiun mixture s about, and tneiattet is immediately cent el ii@- lze @un gravity, drops from the co 2, and the exhaust cock it is again closed. inring the further droiiping of the electhe Contact rod n. again dips into the` Jzcurjtf reeeptaee, thus dosing the circuit :ning the Cock and permitting afresh u, etreenmsee air tn enter int-0 the re- The Operation, as hereine new 'epented. de-

Operutes envolumes et L A we corresponding 'fftru Mittente, it readily possible to 0b- .ain the maximum pressure with any kind et gfneee to be treated and to then immediately brin-Q nlout the expansion. The sucv execution of the process is not dependent upon the employment of the par tiental' apparatus described, nor upon the employment oflelectodnagnetie means for eifecting the deseribed Operation.

Having 110W fully described my invention,

l what I duim and desire to protect by Lettegs Patent. is:

l. he methed of carrying out gas reee-4 ions which consists nbringng a definite winne of compressed ges in Confinement nnfiel the influence of en eectrie are, and Whie shutting ott further ingress of gas, maintaining the same under the infuence el? are and thereby continuously heating time Same unti'i a maximum pressure is reached, and then permitting the reaction uree to'euddeny expand and cool.

. The method of carrying out reacwhich cnnsiszts in .introducing a volume muuessed inte :i'reeeptnee of Sub- .;'fintnilyunvarying capacityj maintaining c saune White confined therein under the .influence 'of en ele influence of the arc'and thereloy'continuouslyv t heet-ing the semel untii a nieXiniiun pressure is reached, and then permitting the reaction 'mixture to expand and suddenly cool.

.8. The method of carrying ont gas reac! tions Which consists in bringing e volume ci compressed gas in confinement under the tric arc, and While shut ting'oi further ingress of gas, heating the seme until a maximum pressure is obtained7 and then releasing the seine from conne 'ment to pei-Init sudden expansion sind cring- Vso A electric arc, shutting ing the expanding gasesunder the iniiuence of a cooling agency..

e. The method oi carrying out ges reeetions Whichconsists in bringing e voliiine of compressed gas under the iniience o en electric ero, shutting oi/vnrther ingress ci? ges, drawing out the ere, and permitting the reaction mixture to suddenly expand.

The method of carrying ont ges reactions which consists vin bringing e.. `roliinie of compressed gas under the induence oi en electric are7 shutting off further ingress of gas, .drawing out the arc first slowly end theii'reipidly7 and then permitting the reeetion niixtiireto suddenly expand and cool.

l6. The, method of carrying out gas reactions which consists in bringing e volume 01"' compressed Ages under the inuence ci mi oli further ingress of ges, causing the gas to drew ont the ere, then permitting the react-ion mixture te suddenly expand and cool.

7. The method et' carrying ont ges reactions'which consistsvin bringing e. volume of compressed gas under the influence of' electric arc and causing the ges to ect upon en lectrode to shut olf further ingress of gas-'and elongate the arc, and then permitting thereaction 'mixture .to suddenly er.-

pend .and cool. 1 f y 8,.'lhe method of carrying out tions Which'consists in bringing a volume ofcompressed gas under the iniience,v oi en electric arc, and causing the ges to ect upon an electrode to shut 0E rtlier ingress of gas,l elongate the. `nrc' with accelerated rapidity, and.=.eiect its own egress ette-r maximum pressure ges reacpressure to expand, rupture `the arc, end suddenly cool.

9.- 'he method of carrying out reesctions which consists in bringing e volume expend, rupture the src, escape and siid' afresh Volume 01* denly cool, and permit e compressed ges to be brought: iiner the iniuence of the electric eic. i f

10.!'Ehe .method .sinner-ingente@ reale l is obtained, thereby peiinitting the reaction mixture under high conipi electric l to ict upon en' electrc' t e sanie to shut oif 'riii'tlier :ess ges, and `successirely y@ elongate the nrc ii'ith accelerated rapidity, retard. its elongation, and renew7 its rele- 'tively rapid'eloii; onil to then Y und, riipf ture the are, escepe and siiddf. v' cool, and

to then pei-init i volume ci' compressed e5 ges-to be oroiig the influence of the electric ere.

ll. The niet-hc carrying tions` which concis-c in brine' Quantity of ges to he trent/ed n ueiice ci' zin "1 ero,v per definite quantify ofi ges to he then the reaction mixture to sud leniv eX- pnnd and cool, like nn sirely ti', quen iin res -tions i action receptacle i, .a one of 'W eh1A en. outlet l 13. Ein

-wir

in, one of ii trollecl hy tile merel-ole elect gris tc he th.

in, pipe, en ineens c cntroliegoi'ernin" the valves.

l5. An egt-pa actif ns which e tight closiii bottoni t" i if tion rece? one or eh outlet from controlling s nits includ :wegen der in which said pistcm moves havin a hypass therein, whereby the electrode iepermi'tted to move rapidly5 then etaed anti then again permitted to muve repdiy, an inet to and .an outlet frein sei@ reeepeeie, and means ccntl'olled iov moving-5 parte hereunm set my bami, at 3d day Qlm'ember, 1911,

governing said inlet @Uilen In testimony of Whg-ea mvegion i have i Cologne, on 

